A wearable support structure

Abstract

A wearable support structure ( 1 ) for at least partly relieving a human body ( 3 ) during walking and while said human body ( 3 ) is carrying a load at the back or the hip of said human body ( 3 ), said wearable support structure ( 1 ) comprising two foot attachments ( 5 ), a load support ( 7 ) and two leg structures ( 9 ), each of said two leg structures comprising: -a first rigid member ( 11 ) arranged for supporting said load support and pivotally connected, via a first pivot arrangement ( 13 ), to said load support, wherein a pivot axis ( 15 ) of a first pivot ( 17 ) of said first pivot arrangement, during use, is extending in a virtual plane that is parallel to a transverse plane of said human body and, preferably, at least substantially horizontal, preferably, wherein said first pivot arrangement is provided below said load support; -a second rigid member ( 19 ) arranged for supporting said load support, via said first rigid member, and pivotally connected, via a second pivot arrangement ( 21 ), to said first rigid member; -a third rigid member ( 23 ) arranged for supporting said load support via said first rigid member and said second rigid member, and pivotally connected, via a third pivot arrangement ( 25 ), to said second rigid member and pivotally connected, via a fourth pivot arrangement ( 27 ), to a respective one of said two foot attachments.

1 . A wearable support structure for at least partly relieving a human body during walking and while said human body is carrying a load at the back or the hip of said human body, said wearable support structure comprising:
 two foot attachments, wherein one of said two foot attachments is arranged to be connected to a left foot of said human body and wherein the other of said two foot attachments is arranged to be connected to a right foot of said human body;   a load support arranged to support said load while said human body is carrying said load; and   two leg structures, each of said two leg structures comprising:
 a first rigid member arranged for supporting said load support and pivotally connected, via a first pivot arrangement, to said load support, wherein a pivot axis of a first pivot of said first pivot arrangement, during use, is extending in a virtual plane that is parallel to a transverse plane of said human body and, preferably, at least substantially horizontal, preferably, wherein said first pivot arrangement is provided below said load support; 
 a second rigid member arranged for supporting said load support, via said first rigid member, and pivotally connected, via a second pivot arrangement, to said first rigid member; 
 a third rigid member arranged for supporting said load support via said first rigid member and said second rigid member, and pivotally connected, via a third pivot arrangement, to said second rigid member and pivotally connected, via a fourth pivot arrangement, to a respective one of said two foot attachments; 
   
       wherein said first rigid member is movable between a first position and a second position such that a minimum distance between said second pivot arrangement and said load support varies during a gait cycle of said human body. 
     
     
         2 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said first rigid member is further arranged for moving between said first position and said second position, such that, a minimum distance between said first pivot arrangement and said third pivot arrangement varies during said gait cycle. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said first rigid member is further arranged for moving between said first position and said second position, such that, in a stance phase of said human body, a minimum distance between said second pivot arrangement and said load support is different for said two leg structures. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1  wherein a pivot axis of a first pivot of said second pivot arrangement, during a swing phase of a corresponding leg of said human body, is at least substantially parallel to a bending axis of a hip joint of said human body, preferably parallel to a bending axis of a hip joint of said human body. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein, during a stance phase of a corresponding leg of said human body, a pivot axis of a first pivot of said third pivot arrangement is at least substantially parallel to a bending axis of a knee joint of said corresponding leg of said human body, preferably parallel to a bending axis of a knee joint of said corresponding leg of said human body. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein, during a stance phase of a corresponding leg of said human body, a pivot axis of a first pivot of said fourth pivot arrangement is at least substantially parallel to a bending axis of an ankle joint of said corresponding leg of said human body, preferably parallel to a bending axis of an ankle joint of said corresponding leg of said human body. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said first pivot arrangement comprises a second pivot, wherein a pivot axis of said second pivot is perpendicular to said pivot axis of said first pivot of said first pivot arrangement, preferably wherein said second pivot of said first pivot arrangement is provided between said first rigid member and said first pivot of said first pivot arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said second pivot arrangement comprises a second pivot and/or a third pivot, wherein pivot axes of said first pivot, second pivot and third pivot of said second pivot arrangement are arranged perpendicular to each other, preferably wherein said second pivot and/or said third pivot are provided between said first pivot of said second pivot arrangement and said second rigid member. 
     
     
         9 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said fourth pivot arrangement comprises a second pivot, wherein a pivot axis of said second pivot is perpendicular to said pivot axis of said first pivot of said third pivot arrangement, preferably wherein said second pivot of said fourth pivot arrangement is provided between said third rigid member and said first pivot of said fourth pivot arrangement. 
     
     
         10 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said wearable support structure is arranged for being only connected to said human body via said load support and said two foot attachments. 
     
     
         11 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said second rigid member and said third rigid member are arranged for being provided, during use, at a side of a leg of said human body that is opposite to the other leg of said human body. 
     
     
         12 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said pivot axis of said first pivot of said first pivot arrangement, said pivot axis of said first pivot of said second pivot arrangement, said pivot axis of said first pivot of said third pivot arrangement and/or said pivot axis of said first pivot of said fourth pivot arrangement are arranged for being, during use, parallel to a coronal plane of said human body or substantially perpendicular to a sagittal plane of said human body. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said two leg structures comprises a fourth rigid member that is provided between said fourth pivot arrangement and a fifth pivot arrangement of said wearable support structure that is attached to said foot attachment. 
     
     
         14 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 13 , wherein said fifth pivot arrangement is arranged for being provided, during use, behind the back of a foot of said human body. 
     
     
         15 . The wearable support structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said two foot attachment is formed as a shoe.